Archery sight bow mount

ABSTRACT

An archery sight bow mount includes a mounting bracket and wedge mechanism which is operable to secure a sight mounted on an extension bar in a selected position relative to the mounting bracket which is connected with a bow. The wedge mechanism includes a wedge connected with the mounting bracket and operable between locked and released positions where the wedge is tightly secured between the extension bar and the mounting bracket to lock the extension arm in the selected position and where the wedge is spaced from the extension bar to release the bar from the selected position, respectively. A setting mechanism is connected with the mounting bracket to assist with positioning the extension arm in one of many selected positions relative to the mounting bracket.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Archery sights are used by hunters and competition archers to increasethe accuracy of a shot. The sights are typically mounted on a sightextension rail which in turn is connected with an extension bar or asight may be attached directly to the bow. A bow mount or mountingbracket is used to connect the extension bar with a bow. The extensionbar is adjustable relative to the bow mount to properly position thesight pin closer to or farther away from the archer.

Archery sights normally include one or more sight pins. Improvements insight technology have reduced or eliminated backlash of the sight pinsalong horizontal and vertical axes when a shot is fired. However,vibrations between the bow mounting bracket and the extension bar duringfiring produce sight pin location variations which decrease accuracy.That is, the sight pin fluctuates in position due to movement of theextension bar within the bow mount.

The present disclosure relates to an improved bow mount which provides amore secure grip on the extension bar that eliminates movement of thesight pin during vibrations emitted by the bow energy forces during ashot sequence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Archery sight bow mounts for mounting a sight on an extension barconnected with a bow are well-known in the art. The prior mounts areconfigured to receive the sight extension bar and include a threadedopening which receives a screw having a knob. Tightening of the knobpresses a free end of the screw against the extension bar to retain themount in a selected position. However, after multiple firings of thebow, vibrations between the bow mounting bracket and the extension barultimately twist the screw resulting in inaccuracies due to undesirablelocation movement of the sight pin in relation to the bow.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the disclosure to provide anarchery sight bow mount including a mounting bracket and a wedgemechanism. More particularly, the mounting bracket includes a channelconfigured to receive an extension bar. The extension bar has a firstaxis and slides within the channel relative to the mounting bracketalong the first axis. The wedge mechanism is connected with a first sideof the mounting bracket and is operable to lock the extension bar at aselected location within the mounting bracket.

The first side of the mounting bracket contains an opening having asecond axis normal to the first axis and which receives a screw. Thescrew passes through an opening in a wedge of the wedge mechanism. Aknob is connected with the free end of the screw. Turning the knob in alocking direction displaces the wedge against the extension bar and themounting bracket to lock the extension bar in the selected position.Turning the knob in a release direction opposite to the lockingdirection releases the wedge from the extension bar to allow movement ofthe extension bar relative to the mounting bracket. The wedge ispreferably maintained in alignment relative to the mounting racket andextension bar by a keyway which affords displacement of the wedge alongthe second axis.

The mounting bracket includes a second side opposite the first side onanother side of the channel. The second side contains a threaded openinghaving a third axis which extends normal to the first and second axes. Aplunger is arranged in the second side opening for engaging a selectedone of a plurality of spaced recesses in the extension bar correspondingwith selected positions of the bar relative to the mounting bracket. Aspring is arranged in the threaded opening and abuts against a free endof the plunger. A set screw is also arranged in the threaded opening forconnection with the mounting bracket second side. Tightening the setscrew increases the biasing force of the spring on the plunger to assistthe plunger into a selected recess on the extension bar or against thebar in regions between the recesses. A sight connected with theextension bar, or with an elevation arm connected with the extensionbar, may be positioned at a selected distance relative to the eye of thearcher by displacing the bar relative to the mounting bracket and thenlocking the bar in the selected position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other objects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent froma study of the following specification when viewed in the light of theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded front perspective view of an archery sight bowmount according to the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the bow mount shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded top perspective view in partial cross-section ofthe bow mount shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded end view in partial cross section of the bow mountshown in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial sectional end views of the bow mount of FIG. 1in its unlocked and locked conditions, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The archery sight bow mount according to the disclosure includes amounting bracket 2 having a first side 4 and a second side 6 arranged onopposite sides of a channel 8 which is configured to receive anextension bar 10 as shown in FIGS. 1-4. In the embodiment shown, theextension bar has a dovetail configuration and extends along a firstaxis 12. The channel of the mounting bracket is configured to match thedovetail configuration of the extension bar so that the extension barmay be displaced relative to the mounting bracket in a first axialdirection. One end of the extension bar is connected with a sightextension rail, not shown, in a conventional manner using a connectionassembly 13 as shown in FIG. 2. An archery sight (not shown) isconnected with the extension rail. The mounting bracket 2 includes aplurality of openings 14 which receive screws to connect the mountingbracket with a bow in a conventional manner. The mounting bracket isformed of a rigid material such as metal, synthetic plastic or acomposite of such materials. Suitable metals include aluminum, carbonand carbon fiber.

A wedge mechanism is connected with the first side 4 of the mountingbracket 2 and is operable to press against the extension bar 10 to lockthe mounting bracket in a selected location along the bar. Moreparticularly, a wedge 16 is arranged in a slot 18 in the mountingbracket first side 4 for displacement relative to the first side 4 ofthe mounting bracket along a second axis 20 which is arranged normal tothe first axis 12. Surfaces 22 at the corners of the wedge are arrangedopposite flat surfaces 24 in the mounting bracket first side 4 adjacentto the slot 18 function as a keyway to maintain the wedge in alignmentrelative to the mounting bracket. The wedge includes a central opening26 and the first side 4 of the mounting bracket contains a throughopening 28 which is aligned with the wedge opening and coaxial with thesecond axis 20. A screw such as a flat head screw 30 passes through themounting bracket first side through opening 28 and through the wedgeopening 26. A knob 32 is threadably connected with the free end of thescrew.

Referring to FIGS. 3-6, rotation of the knob in a locking directiondisplaces the wedge 16 through the recess 28 in the mounting bracketfirst side 4 and against the extension bar 10 so that the wedge istightly secured between the bar and the mounting bracket to lock theextension bar in a selected position relative to the mounting bracket. Asurface 29 of the wedge engages a side surface of the extension bar anda surface 31 opposite the surface 29 engages a surface of the mountingbracket first side which defines the channel 18. Rotation of the knob inthe opposite or unlocking direction allows the wedge to move within themounting bracket slot 18 away from the extension bar to release the barfor sliding movement relative to the mounting bracket 2. The releaseposition of the wedge is shown in FIG. 5 and the locking position of thewedge is shown in FIG. 6.

Other assemblies may be used to displace the wedge between its lockingand released positions. For example, the knob may include a threadedstem which extends along the second axis 20 and passes through the wedgeopening 26 and the mounting plate opening 28 and into a nut below themounting bracket. Alternatively, the mounting plate opening 28 may bethreaded to receive the threaded stem of the knob.

By way of example only, the extension bar has a 30° dovetailconfiguration which is a standard within the archery product industry.The wedge 16 also has a 30° per taper configuration which mates wellwith the extension bar to secure the extension bar in a selectedposition relative to the mounting bracket when the knob is in thelocking position to establish the distance of a sight connected with theextension bar from the eye of an archer.

In order to assist with selecting the location of the extension barrelative to the mounting bracket, a setting mechanism is connected withthe second side 6 of the mounting bracket. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3,the extension bar contains a plurality of spaced recesses 34 in one sidethereof The recesses are preferably equally spaced along the length ofthe bar. The mounting bracket second side contains a threaded opening 36which extends along a third axis 38 which is normal to both of the firstand second axes. The setting mechanism is arranged within the threadedopening 36.

More particularly, the setting mechanism includes a plunger 40 having aforward end portion 40 a with a radius of curvature which matches theradius of curvature of the recesses 34 in the extension bar. An annularseat 42 is provided on an inner surface of the mounting bracket secondside within the threaded opening 36 and a radial projection 40 b isprovided on the plunger. The projection 40 b engages the seat 42 tolimit the extent that the plunger extends into the opening 36. When theplunger is fully within the opening and its projection abuts the seat,the forward portion 40 a of the plunger extends beyond the second side 6of the mounting bracket into the channel 8 of the mounting bracket andinto a recess 34 of the extension bar. A coil spring 44 is arranged inthe threaded opening and biases the plunger further into the opening. Aset screw 46 is threadably connected with the opening 36 to provide thebiasing force for the spring. Once assembled, the setting mechanismprovides sufficient biasing force on the plunger to engage within anextension bar recess, but not enough force to allow the plunger toretract slightly against the biasing force of the spring so that theplunger exits a selected recess and allows the extension bar to bedisplaced relative to the mounting bracket when the wedge mechanism isreleased, to a new position where the plunger engages a differentselected recess and the wedge mechanism is operated to lock theextension arm in a new selected position. Of course, the settingmechanism can be used to lock the extension bar in locations relative tomounting bracket between the recesses by positioning the bar at anylocation along its length and operating the wedge mechanism to lock thebar in place. In such situations, the plunger of the setting mechanismwould engage the side portion of the bar, though not necessarily inrecess. Thus, the archer essentially has an infinite number of locationsto selectively distance the sight and sight pin relative to the archer'seye.

It will thus be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that theimproved bow mounting assembly affords quick and simple adjustment ofthe extension bar relative to the mounting bracket to allow an archer toproperly position an archery sight connected with the extension barrelative to the archer's eye. The wedge mechanism increases the lockingforce applied between the mounting bracket and the extension bar. Thus,any vibrations emitted by the bow during firing of a shot are minimizedor eliminated by the wedge mechanism. This prevents the sight and thesight pin from being displaced during firing of a shot and thus improvesthe accuracy of the archer.

The components of the setting mechanism are all formed of conventionalmaterials such as metal or synthetic plastic. Similarly, the screw,wedge and knob of the wedge mechanism are formed of known materials suchas metal or synthetic plastic.

While the preferred forms and embodiments of the disclosure have beenillustrated and described, it will be apparent to those of ordinaryskill in the art that various changes and modifications may be madewithout deviating from the concepts set forth above.

1. An archery sight bow mount, comprising (a) a mounting bracket adaptedfor connection with a bow and containing a channel configured to receivean extension bar having a first axis and a slot defined by an angledwall surface, said channel affording sliding movement of the extensionbar along the first axis relative to said mounting bracket; and (b) atapered wedge having a first tapered surface which engages a first sideof said mounting bracket adjacent to said channel and a second taperedsurface opposite said first surface which engages said angled wallsurface of said mounting bracket, said wedge being operable to lock theextension bar at a selected location relative to said mounting bracket.2. An archery sight bow mount as defined in claim 1, wherein said wedgecontains an opening, and further comprising a screw which passes througha first opening in said first side of said mounting bracket and throughsaid wedge opening, said screw, said wedge opening and said mountingbracket first opening being coaxial along a second axis which extendsnormal to the first axis of the extension bar, whereby when said screwis tightened, said wedge is pressed against said extension bar andagainst said angled wall surface of said mounting bracket.
 3. An archerysight bow mount as defined in claim 2, and further comprising a knobconnected with a free end of said screw extending from said wedgeopening, said knob being operable in a locking direction to displacesaid wedge along said second axis against the extension bar and saidmounting bracket to lock the extension arm in the selected location,said knob further being operable in an unlocking direction to releasesaid wedge for displacement along said second axis away from theextension bar and said mounting bracket to release the extension bar forsliding movement relative to said mounting bracket.
 4. An archery sightbow mount as defined in claim 3, wherein said mounting bracket slot isconfigured to receive a portion of said wedge and to align said wedgerelative to said mounting bracket.
 5. An archery sight bow mount asdefined in claim 1, and further comprising a setting mechanism connectedwith a second side of said mounting bracket opposite said first side onanother side of said channel to assist in setting the extension bar in aselected location.
 6. An archery sight bow mount as defined in claim 5,wherein said mounting bracket second side contains a threaded openinghaving a third axis normal to said first and second axes, said settingmechanism being arranged in said threaded opening.
 7. An archery sightbow mount as defined in claim 6, wherein said setting mechanism includesa plunger, a spring adjacent to said plunger, and a set screw threadedinto said second opening to press said spring and said plunger towardthe extension bar.
 8. An archery sight bow mount as defined in claim 7,wherein the extension bar contains a plurality of spaced recesses in aside portion thereof, said plunger being adapted for engagement with aselected recess which defines a selected position of the extension barrelative to said mounting bracket.